FIDM Student: Katie Linskey

Students give an inside look at their college experience

Katie Linskey

Admissions Advisor: Alissa Dixon. I was so lucky to have Alissa for my advisor. When I first looked into FIDM I was unsure of where my future in fashion would take me but after talking to Alissa I knew FIDM was the right school for me. She has helped me with every step of the application process and always answered any question that I had.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Ever since I was little I loved fashion. I remember going through my mom’s store catalogues and cutting out the clothes and accessories I loved and taping them up in my room. I would put outfits together and make notebooks of my favorite looks. I would make my own doll clothes and pick out the fabrics and details to add to them. I loved the way that fashion could tell a story, or evoke a reaction. To me fashion is universal. My favorite pastime is shopping, whether it is just online browsing or actually buying for others or myself. My biggest weakness is shoes and I have well over 100 in my closet.

What are your proudest accomplishments so far? My proudest accomplishment in my life, and this will never change, is being able to be a stay-at-home caretaker for my six-year-old cousin for the past 28 months. When DCF placed her in my family’s care, the last thing I wanted was a child to interfere in my life, but within days I had fallen in love with her, and she with me.I have been very lucky to be involved in her everyday life, from getting her on the school bus each morning, to taking her to after school activities, to doing homework with her, and volunteering in her classroom and her school. Dealing with the trauma that exists from her past life has been a challenge, for the both of us, but one that we work together on and that has made her heal in ways I am so proud to see.

What made FIDM right for you? I never thought that I could leave my cousin, let alone go to a school on the other side of the country. I took a lot of time to look at colleges and all the ones that were located near me just didn’t have what I was looking for. I looked into FIDM many years ago and loved it so I decided to just go ahead and look into it again.As soon as I reached the website I got excited. I felt like it was where I belonged. FIDM was where my dreams would come true. After talking to Alissa, I never had any other thought in my mind that FIDM was the perfect choice for me to achieve my dreams of being in the fashion world. And even though my cousin is sad that I am leaving, she tells me that I have to go "to get my dream come true."I know that FIDM will be able to provide me with that and to show my cousin that dreams do come true when you have the passion and hard work to see them through.

Describe your entrance project. For my entrance project I developed my own boutique named Bella Sage. My customer was based on a businesswoman in her early thirties who wanted to look professional and fashionable. I created five different looks for her: business casual, work wear, casual wear, club wear, and evening wear. I made sure each outfit and accessories fit into who my customer was and kept in mind her taste for trendy budget and designer pieces with a professional and chic, fun look.

What are your career goals? There are so many jobs I would love to try upon graduating from FIDM. I feel there are endless amounts of fashion jobs that offer unique opportunities to learn from. I would love to be a stylist for a TV show or movie because the idea of styling a character that people only get to see for such a little time makes it so much more important what you see them wear.Also, I would love to work as a buyer for Nordstrom’s. I love that they offer fashions from very different price points, which makes it a store for such a range of customers. My life-long career goal is to own my own retail store in Beverly Hills.

What do you expect to learn at FIDM? FIDM has some of the most knowledgeable faculty in the industry to teach us. I know that I will learn so much about being a part of the fashion industry in so many ways. I also expect to learn from the other students at FIDM and from the alumni, who all offer such unique experiences and networking opportunities. I feel honored to get the chance to learn from everyone at FIDM.

Please Note: The information contained herein was confirmed at the time of original publication.